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Abstract. To investigate water movement in environmental systems, stable water isotopes (2H and 18O) are commonly used tracers. Analyzing the isotopic composition of water bonded to substances like soil or plant tissue necessitates its extraction prior to analysis. One such method, direct vapor equilibration, is popular due to its cost-effectiveness and straightforward sample processing. However, sample analysis requires a significant manual labor, thereby limiting the number of samples that can be analyzed. This limitation is compounded by the fact that stored samples undergo isotopic composition changes over time, and in addition manual measurements may lack objectivity. To address these challenges, we have developed a device that automates the analysis process. Our vapor autosampler for vapour samples, named VapAuSa, features a modular design with up to 350 ports for direct vapor equilibration samples. These ports sequentially connect the prepared samples to the analyzer, enabling continuous automatic measurements. Within the accompanying software, measurement criteria can be specified, facilitating objective analysis. VapAuSa measurements have a similar uncertainty compared to manual analysis of identical samples (VapAuSa δ2H = +/− 4.5 ‰ δ18O = +/− 0.58 ‰ vs. manual δ2H = +/− 5.7 ‰ δ18O = +/− 0.37 ‰). However, the increased sample throughput minimizes storage-induced isotopic changes. Moreover, VapAuSa triples sample throughput per week while reducing direct labor time to just 10 % of manual processing.
Pyschik et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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